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E-book, Lesson Plan

Description:

This document includes the Teacher's Guide for Learning Experience 6: Brightness Meter.

This wiki version can be edited or built up with other materials on the same topic by members of the Curriki community. The entire Electrical Circuits collection is also available as downloadable PDFs.

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This resource was reviewed using the Curriki Review rubric and received an overall Curriki Review System rating of 3, as of -0001-11-30.

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This resource received a 3* rating because it is part of Electrical Circuits Science Kit, which received a rating of 3-Exemplary in the Curriki Review System and which you can see here: http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Coll_cabocesmst/ElectricalCircuitsScienceKit

A brightness meter should be constructed and used as a model
when students construct their brightness meter.

Basic Skills
Development:

Creating Models

Observing

Measuring

Predicting

Discussing

Note:

Different measurements of brightness will result from
holding the brightness meter at different distances from the light bulb. Differences
in batteries’ strength and or types of bulbs will also produce different measurements.

Safety Note:

Discuss safety rules for using the brightness meter. Would
you use your brightness meter to measure the brightness of a flame? Would you
use your brightness meter to measure the brightness of the sun?

Evaluation Strategy:

Students will construct a brightness meter and measure the
brightness of a bulb(s) in various circuits.

Vocabulary:

meter

voltage

Objective:
Students will construct a brightness meter and measure the bulb’s brightness
using this device.

How can we measure the
brightness of a lighted bulb?

Ask student pairs to brainstorm how they might measure the
brightness of a lighted bulb. Record all of their suggestions on chart paper. Discuss
advantages and disadvantages of each method. Indicate to them that in this unit
a simple brightness meter will be used to help decide on the brightness of a
lighted bulb.

Show students a completed brightness meter and briefly use
it to demonstrate the measurement of brightness with a lighted bulb. Place the
numbers of the brightness meter over the bulb. The bulb will shine through the paper. Students will move each
number over the bulb until the strips of paper are piled so thick that the bulb

is not bright enough to show through them. When
they find that number, the number that preceded it is its measured brightness.

For example, let’s say a bulb’s brightness shone through numbers 1, 2, 3, 4.
However, when the number 5 was placed over the bulb, the light did not shine
through. The brightness of the bulb would be at 4 because it is the last number that the bulb shown through.
(Keep testing conditions constant, for example, lights off, shades pulled,
etc.)

Provide students with the materials needed to construct
their brightness meters. After each piece is cut out, students are to number
each piece as shown on the activity sheet for Learning Experience 6 of the
Electrical Circuits Student Activity Book. (Please see PDF) The
smallest section is numbered 10 and the largest section is numbered

Staple or tape the sections together. The smallest section should be on top.

Students should write the metric size on each section near the bottom edge of each strip.

Discussion Questions:

What causes different measurements to occur for the same
brightness?

How can the same results be obtained from the brightness
meter?

What decision-making rules are needed to decide upon the
brightness of a bulb when the brightness meter is used?

What safety rules must be followed when using the brightness
meter?

For the accompanying Electrical Circuits Student
Activity Book, please refer to the PDF found here. (Please see PDF)